


The Force Shall Free Me

by SnappleNinja



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Darth Maul (Comics), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Dathomir (Star Wars), False Ahsoka Tano, False Memories, Force Visions, Mandalore, Memory Alteration, Nightsisters (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Restraints, Sith Anakin Skywalker, What-If, magick, references to Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24256768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnappleNinja/pseuds/SnappleNinja
Summary: (After the events of Clone Wars Season 7)"You're lucky Anakin didn't show up..."After escaping the Venator in the chaos of Order 66, Maul pays a visit to Dathomir where he hopes to find some insight on how things could have happened differently had he won on Mandalore and managed to kill Anakin with Ahsoka's help.Instead, that pesky Nightsister magick throws Maul into an alternate turn of events where Anakin DOES show up to the duel, and Maul finds himself seriously outmatched.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 30





	The Force Shall Free Me

Dathomir’s red sky was even more beautiful tonight than Maul remembered. After landing the stolen Republic shuttle near the edge of a cliff, Maul instructed the pilot droid he had messily reprogrammed to keep the engines running in case he would need to make a quick escape.

As Maul slowly walked across the stone, dirt, and clay, he failed despite his best efforts to ignore the dozens of bodies sprawled out across the ground. He had been here not long ago, when he had proudly brought both Dooku and Grievous to Mother Talzin. With the arrival of Sidious, however, Maul’s plans had crumbled and he was forced into hiding for a time on Mandalore, while Grievous killed Talzin and left her to rot alongside the many Nightsisters that had been slain before her.

Maul was glad that the Separatist presence on Dathomir had seemingly gone away at some point – probably as a result of Sidious’ master plan. The entire planet almost appeared uninhabited, but Maul could still sense a gentle life dwelling here somewhere. He assumed it had to do with the Nightsister magic. Or, it could be some force-sensetive creature somewhere.

Ah, yes! Maul grinned to himself as he entered into Talzin’s old room. The place was in shambles, which he quickly ignored and moved on to find the large metal bowl in the center of the room. Parts of it had been seemingly sliced off – probably not intentionally – by one of Grievous’ lightsabers. But, this would do.

Maul couldn’t let this idea leave his mind. It tugged at him even harder than anything he had felt before. The galaxy’s new transformation had taken Maul by surprise, despite his visions that attempted to warn him, and he needed answers. Yes, he would have opportunity to thrive in this new order.

But that wasn’t enough.

Maul sat down and crossed his legs, taking a deep breath before running his finger along the edge of the bowl and reciting the ancient sorcery that he had practiced. Getting to this place had been easy – it was accessing what he needed that would prove difficult.

Maul kept working at it. 

He slipped up on one of the words.

“Ah!” Maul groaned, clutching his face in his hands. He then shook his head stubbornly and tried again. And again. And again. And again.

The utter _fear_ consuming Maul’s very being was what kept him from reciting the words properly. Something would always sound wrong or he would mess up the order. The shakiness in his voice was ever so present, and he _needed_ to remove that fear or else he would never succeed.

But, what if this was what the spell required? What if Maul’s single state of _desperation_ – of _trembling_ – was what he needed? What if he would need to _use_ this to achieve his goal, to gain the knowledge – the _peace_ – that he so deeply required? 

Ah, but _peace_ is a lie! Didn’t he remember? 

**Peace is a _lie,_ there is only _passion_** _._

Yes, yes! Maul would need to give in to these emotions and fears – to _use_ and _embrace_ them to achieve his desired goal!

**Through passion I gain _strength_.**

Yes, the strength he would need – not just to survive, but to _thrive!_ To gain the upper hand on all of his enemies: on Sidious and Vader!

**Through strength I gain _power._**

**Through power I gain _victory_.**

Maul would _win!_ He would use this knowledge to destroy his enemies and conquer all! At last, he would have his revenge, and be given the position of power – of _victory_ – that he deserved!

**Through victory my chains are broken.**

Yes...

**The Force shall free me.**

“Yes!” Maul began to laugh hysterically, almost pathetically. He placed his palms on the stone floor and felt his body heave in shaky laughter. “Yes, this is so much grander than I _realized!_ ” Maul wasn’t even concerned with how much he was thinking out loud now. He took a long breath. “I shall gain what I desire, and finally be...” Maul paused and his face fell. He thought back on all of the torture and pain he had gone through by Sidious, the anger and hatred that he had forged after Kenobi cut him in half on Naboo. Losing his brother, Savage...

“...I will finally be free,” Maul whispered, barely getting the words out as he felt it getting harder to breathe. He wasn’t about to cry (that was beneath him!) but he was so tenderly and solemnly relieved that any lesser being _would_ be crying. This sorcery _must_ work if he were to achieve victory and be freed by the powers of the Force.

Maul began reciting the words. His voice was no longer shaky. He no longer stumbled over his words. Each syllable came from Maul’s lips in such a perfect, unflawed sequence. Maul could feel the magick beginning to form itself around him – in his _mind –_ and he welcomed it willingly. With his eyelids sealed shut, Maul began to see the vast darkness suddenly cast aside by a bright light, and then thousands of tiny, moving sounds all around him. 

Maul was back on Mandalore.

The windows that had been shattered in the midst of the chaos outside the throne room flung thousands of small shards of glass all around, and the wind brushing by managed to catch onto Maul’s robes, but only for a moment. Its presence came and went swiftly, just as Maul’s enthusiasm.

His face fell once more and he looked before him to find the former Padawan. _Tano._

Why had the sorcery taken him back to this moment? Was this only a dream? Was this a vision? Some sort of trick left behind by Talzin from beyond her grave?

Maul’s arm was extended to the young girl. His gaze followed her own, almost in an act of desperation, but this was from _before._ These events were playing out like before, beyond Maul’s abilities to interfere. “Every choice you have made has led you to _this_ moment.” The words came from Maul’s mouth, but he hadn’t intended to speak them. At least, not presently.

The course of this scene carried on as Maul painfully remembered. He offered his hand, and she accepted, but he knew she wasn’t sure. She asked about Skywalker – what Maul wanted with him – and Maul answered honestly.

Ahsoka’s belief in Maul’s words seemed to come crumbling down in an instant. She accused him of being a _liar._ (Him? A liar? Hah!)

Within a few more moments, Ahsoka had drawn her lightsabers from her waist and ignited the identical blue blades. The sharp hiss was far too familiar to Maul, despite him only ever hearing it once. Odd.

Maul went to strike first, as he had the first time he lived through this occurrence, but he felt his feet almost glued to the floor. Ahsoka didn’t move either, and she began to seem surprised as well. Her eyes shifted over across the room with an odd sense of dread and yet...relief. Maul followed her eyes and was met face-to-face with Vader.

Skywalker walked across the throne room almost in a comfortable stride. He looked up at Maul with a confident smirk. His right arm came across his torso to his lightsaber, pulled it off and into the air, and ignited its blade. A third blue saber came to join both of Ahsoka’s.

This wasn’t how it happened! No!

Maul tried again to move, but he couldn’t take a step. Skywalker was coming closer. The Jedi twirled his lightsaber in his hand like a toy, acting as if killing Maul wouldn’t even be a challenge. Maul thought back to what Ahsoka had told him in the _proper_ version of this duel.

_“You’re lucky Anakin didn’t show up.”_

Maul’s eyes widened and he looked upon the Jedi Knight, who was getting ever so closer.

_“The way you’re fighting, you wouldn’t have lasted long.”_

With a grunt, Maul’s feet came free, mere seconds from Skywalker coming close enough to swing down on him with his lightsaber. Maul ignited both blades of his own weapon and sent a flurry of attacks at Anakin, who expertly and seemingly _effortlessly_ deflected. Each attack on Maul’s part seemed to be more for Anakin to send back to Maul tenfold.

Maul fought back with sudden swings and attempted to cheat a few kicks in, but Anakin continued to repel him with such ease. As Maul paused to regain his breath, Anakin went on the offensive, coming onto Maul with such _powerful_ attacks. Even with the two blades, Maul struggled to stop himself from being pushed down from the mere weight of the Jedi’s swings. 

Each attack from Anakin seemed to be part of a sequence of smooth, uninterrupted motions – almost _circles_ – that he created by bringing the lightsaber in an upwards motion past his shoulder and then bringing it right back down on Maul. It would be considered repetitive if it wasn’t so effective.

Maul began to backpedal, trying desperately to gain some sort of vantage point. At last, he saw an opening in one of Anakin’s attacks, and attempted to stab the Jedi right through his chest. Anakin somehow saw this coming, and grabbed Maul’s arm as he narrowly dodged the lightsaber. Maul’s eyes widened in fear, and Anakin swung the former Sith onto the ground. _Hard._

Maul tried his best to get back up, only to be met with two lightsabers pointed towards his face. Ahsoka had apparently had enough watching her master do all the work and joined in. Maul knew there was no way she’d join him now. He had to _run._

Maul broke out into a run, nearly toppling over his own metal legs as he pushed right past Ahsoka on the way to the door. He heard a loud yell from Anakin, and Maul had barely enough time to whip around on his heel and bring his lightsaber up to block another one of Skywalker’s attacks. 

Anakin then transitioned his style. He brought the lightsaber _higher,_ just high enough to be at equal level with Maul’s neck, and came at him with another series of fluid attacks. Each one was so flawless and purposeful, and yet Maul couldn’t seem to keep up. At this point, Maul had to just bring his lightsaber up to his face and hold it steady enough to sustain whatever attacks came down on him. There was no way he could attempt to deflect each one – not like this.

Maul sensed Ahsoka coming up behind him, and he panicked. Ahsoka came to swing at him, and Maul nearly didn’t block it. Her signature reverse grip took him by surprise. She came down on him again with her other hand holding a saber in the normal grip, and Anakin seemed to come down at nearly the same time. Maul stood sideways between them, shoulder to shoulder, to quickly pick off the attacks.

Maul didn’t even recognize such a refined lightsaber style from any other Jedi. Not even Dooku showed so much unbridled power and forceful skill. Each swing from Anakin seemed to slowly push Maul down, and each of Ahsoka’s attacks served only to give him more to worry about at once.

Suddenly, Anakin broke off his attacks, nearly causing Maul to stumble backwards, and Ahsoka came on him with another series of quick and offensive strikes. She used backwards grip in one hand and standard grip in the other, making it harder for Maul to adjust to blocking a more unorthodox style. Finally, she flipped both sabers to forwards grip and swung down on Maul’s lightsaber, nearly hitting his shoulders instead. Maul watched in horror as Ahsoka suddenly switched back to backwards grip and brought one of her sabers up to cut Maul’s lightsaber in half.

One half hit the ground loudly and Maul was left with only one blade. This gave him too many memories of dueling Kenobi. Except, then, Kenobi wasn’t nearly as offensive as Skywalker and Tano.

“You’re beaten,” Ahsoka’s eyes narrowed, and Anakin came to stand beside her. Maul had to squint for a moment, but he quickly noticed the gold haze beginning to form across Anakin’s eyes. They were filled with a sickly yellow – the color of the Sith.

Maul wouldn’t give up. Not when he had one blade still!

He ran up to attack Ahsoka, only to be beaten down to the ground by Anakin, and suddenly lifted up by the Force. Maul felt an invisible hand grasp around his throat, and he looked to find Anakin’s Sith eyes nearly glowing. Anakin continued to Force choke Maul, and with every passing moment, Maul grew more afraid. Ahsoka looked as if she were about to stop her former master, but she didn’t.

Maul looked at Ahsoka, and then Anakin, with fear and trembling. Finally, as Maul felt he would have his throat crushed, he was pulled towards Anakin with the Force where he felt a hot blue blade pierce his stomach. Anakin’s blade then disappeared back into the lightsaber, and Maul’s body was dropped onto the floor.

No, no, no!

The Force shall free him! 

This wasn’t _right_!

Anakin’s eyes became almost too disturbing to look at, despite Maul’s main concern being the searing hole in his abdomen. Anakin didn’t even show any sort of satisfaction or relief that he had finished the job where Kenobi could not – his expression barely changed at _all_ , and he continued to bare down on Maul with those sickly yellow eyes, probably until he was certain that the Sith’s heart stopped beating.

Maul knew this wasn’t real, but it felt _awful._ He looked up at Ahsoka, who was showing much more emotion and concern compared to her master, but was clearly too attached and loyal to Skywalker. Too loyal to question his actions, perhaps.

Perhaps even humoring the idea of joining forces with Tano had been a fool’s hope.

“So, you have failed once again,” a voice called out from behind Anakin and Ahsoka. Instinctively – almost _mechanically_ – they stood aside to reveal the entrant to Maul. A hooded figure came to look down on Maul’s trembling, dying form, and he let out a painfully familiar, _gut-wrenching_ laugh.

“Master,” Maul barely managed to get the word to come out of his mouth before he felt Sidious engulf his entire body in hot lightning. “No, no, no! Not **_again_!!!!**”

Sidious continued to laugh. After a few moments, he stopped and watched his former apprentice with a bit of amusement. “You disappoint me.”

Maul breathed heavily. “What...what is this? What _is_ this vision – this _torture_ – that you have allowed me to experience???” Maul nearly screamed, feeling the pain continue to overwhelm him. 

“I have shown you what you want to know!” Sidious drawled, and as he finished his sentence, Maul could swear he picked up some of Talzin’s accent seeping through. Sidious noticed Maul’s realization quickly. “I am _not_ your former master, Maul. Nor am I the deceased Mother Talzin.”

“Then...who?”

The figure, still bearing Sidious’ face, grinned. “I am no one. Unless, of course, you continue to believe that I exist.” He began to laugh again. “I am everything that holds you back! I am the reason you fail time and time again!”

“NO!” Maul growled angrily, mostly out of pain. “I made Kenobi _suffer._ I killed the one he cared about! I got my revenge!”

“But he is not _dead_ ,” the figure pointed out. “And until he is, you will never truly be at peace! You will never truly be _victorious_ , Maul.”

Maul simply continued to scowl at the entity. “You are merely a _vision_ ,” he spat. “I do not need to listen to anything you have to say.”

The figure seemed to ponder this for a moment before grinning. “That will remain true...unless you soon become desperate.”

Maul shook his head in disbelief. “Desperate for _what_? You are an illusion, creature! Release me at _once!”_

Anakin walked forward once more, with Ahsoka close behind. The not-Sidious grinned and stepped aside, so that Maul was forced to look up at his comeuppance. Anakin raised his saber, ready to deliver the finishing blow, while Ahsoka watched hesitantly over his shoulder.

The lightsaber came down, and all Maul could hear was a sickening, mechanical breathing that rang in his ears over and over. Maul opened his eyes.

Back on Dathomir.

The Nightsister magick had run its course, and now Maul was left alone to consider the things that he had seen. 

“Vader...” Maul whispered to himself, “...is too _powerful_.”

Right on time, it was as if Maul could hear his old master’s voice saying, “ _At last you see the truth_...”

At last, he _did._ Sidious had once again replaced his student, first with Dooku, and now Vader had come to take Dooku’s place. The galaxy had shifted, in worse ways than anyone could have imagined, but Maul was confident he could still prosper in these times. With a new age comes new opportunities.

For now, Maul would have to get used to that cold mechanical breathing plaguing him in his dreams.


End file.
